Shan't I forget. Thou memories.
It's one of the rare days that I decided to stay up late and write. Owh, just less than a couple of hours ago it was my birthday. And I have to say it was one of the best.
I'm brought up in a family that sees birthday celebrations as a formality. Since my dad, my brother and I share pretty close birthdates, we are used to celebrating our birthdays together. To us it's no more than just a means for family reunion. So we tend to keep it simple. I was always taught that on birthdays I should be counting blessings. I should also be reminding myself of how well of the roles in life that I've been performing all the while and I should be reflecting on myself of the past. Most of all, I should feel gratitude to people around me who have shaped me in good ways. I've never asked for more on birthdays because to me, it probably has always been just no more than a formality and a labeled date. Ever since I've started attending school, I started to realise that people exchange gifts and give birthday greetings to birthday people. And so I followed. I started to prepare gifts too because I think giving and receiving gifts both make me feel good. But still, I was told that I should not do anything to hope for a return because then whatever I do would become insincere. When I started going to medical school, I stopped buying gifts for my friends on birthdays because I think it lacks sincerity, and I don't want to do it for formality. Birthday celebrations continue to happen, but most of the time it's still just some formality. And then when I start to think about it, I realised that it's no more a formality when the birthday boy/girl or the people who gather for the celebration means a lot to one another. It feels good when people around you are happy and they laugh a lot. One of my friends always tells me that it's natural that people prefer positivity. Laughters are positive strengths that attract people. That explains why people who are comfortable being with one another usually continue to stay as friends.
Theories aside, now that I rewind time to 12 hours ago, I started off the day great. I had a visit to a Chinese temple in Seremban for the first time. (I still haven't found out the name of the God of the temple) I couldn't believe that it was my first time to pray with joss sticks and some 'yellow papers'. I usually only look around and sit at one spot and 'think about life' when I feel comfortable being at a religious temple. I followed whatever my friends were doing in the temple. It wasn't too bad. But I think I still prefer my own way of praying. (I didn't know how people pray before this: I didn't know people actually ask favour from the gods and they have to return favour if it comes true.) It's interesting but makes sense, but I haven't really done anything like that in life, like asking for favours with a promise. I wonder if it works. The short visit was fun. I think the temple was nice. But I didn't feel as comfortable as I was when I was at the four-faced buddha temple in BKK so probably I won't be making a return.
Dinner time. It was scrumptious. To a certain extent, unbelievable. Driving for 40 minutes or so for seafood dinner with 10 people. Never expected that on my birthday. So I couldn't ask for more. My friends were all so down-to-earth. They have never failed to mesmerise me. Probably one of the biggest group of friends whom I favour who celebrate my birthday with me this time round and it was on my 24th. What's more, having two of my best people in my life this time round. Twas the biggest surprise. Nothing more I could have possibly asked for. Mum said, I shan't be greedy, especially for greater things.
So I shall only keep gratitude and memories.
' Tis my memory lock'd, and you yourself shall keep the key of it.'
I'm brought up in a family that sees birthday celebrations as a formality. Since my dad, my brother and I share pretty close birthdates, we are used to celebrating our birthdays together. To us it's no more than just a means for family reunion. So we tend to keep it simple. I was always taught that on birthdays I should be counting blessings. I should also be reminding myself of how well of the roles in life that I've been performing all the while and I should be reflecting on myself of the past. Most of all, I should feel gratitude to people around me who have shaped me in good ways. I've never asked for more on birthdays because to me, it probably has always been just no more than a formality and a labeled date. Ever since I've started attending school, I started to realise that people exchange gifts and give birthday greetings to birthday people. And so I followed. I started to prepare gifts too because I think giving and receiving gifts both make me feel good. But still, I was told that I should not do anything to hope for a return because then whatever I do would become insincere. When I started going to medical school, I stopped buying gifts for my friends on birthdays because I think it lacks sincerity, and I don't want to do it for formality. Birthday celebrations continue to happen, but most of the time it's still just some formality. And then when I start to think about it, I realised that it's no more a formality when the birthday boy/girl or the people who gather for the celebration means a lot to one another. It feels good when people around you are happy and they laugh a lot. One of my friends always tells me that it's natural that people prefer positivity. Laughters are positive strengths that attract people. That explains why people who are comfortable being with one another usually continue to stay as friends.
Theories aside, now that I rewind time to 12 hours ago, I started off the day great. I had a visit to a Chinese temple in Seremban for the first time. (I still haven't found out the name of the God of the temple) I couldn't believe that it was my first time to pray with joss sticks and some 'yellow papers'. I usually only look around and sit at one spot and 'think about life' when I feel comfortable being at a religious temple. I followed whatever my friends were doing in the temple. It wasn't too bad. But I think I still prefer my own way of praying. (I didn't know how people pray before this: I didn't know people actually ask favour from the gods and they have to return favour if it comes true.) It's interesting but makes sense, but I haven't really done anything like that in life, like asking for favours with a promise. I wonder if it works. The short visit was fun. I think the temple was nice. But I didn't feel as comfortable as I was when I was at the four-faced buddha temple in BKK so probably I won't be making a return.
Dinner time. It was scrumptious. To a certain extent, unbelievable. Driving for 40 minutes or so for seafood dinner with 10 people. Never expected that on my birthday. So I couldn't ask for more. My friends were all so down-to-earth. They have never failed to mesmerise me. Probably one of the biggest group of friends whom I favour who celebrate my birthday with me this time round and it was on my 24th. What's more, having two of my best people in my life this time round. Twas the biggest surprise. Nothing more I could have possibly asked for. Mum said, I shan't be greedy, especially for greater things.
So I shall only keep gratitude and memories.
' Tis my memory lock'd, and you yourself shall keep the key of it.'
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